


Rituals

by cryscendo



Category: Mother 3
Genre: Gen, Major game spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-02-19
Packaged: 2018-03-13 18:15:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3391412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryscendo/pseuds/cryscendo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We all have our daily rituals. Some of these rituals are rather simplistic and hardly even recognized as repetitive at all. Just simply life as that person is familiar with it. Others, on the other hand make a point to fulfill these rituals each and everyday, not letting a whole twenty-four hours slip by without completing what can’t really be seen as a task.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rituals

**Author's Note:**

> This was wrote out of pure inspiration. it's not overly long, but please, do enjoy regardless.

We all have our daily rituals. Some of these rituals are rather simplistic and hardly even recognized as repetitive at all. Just simply life as that person is familiar with it. Others, on the other hand make a point to fulfill these rituals each and everyday, not letting a whole twenty-four hours slip by without completing what can’t really be seen as a task. For some people, it’s something as simple and brief as watering the plants in their home and on their porch. There are even those whose rituals consist of just remembering to check the mail when they get home from work. An easy cycle to fall into, slowing making it a minor yet relevant part of their daily life.

Not all rituals are as breezy and mundane as most people’s. And for a select few beings, these rituals have proven to be a challenge for them to accomplish day to day. Not many deal with these types of daily cycles, but there are ones that do.

For people like Lucas, these rituals have shown to be the hardest part of his day. Not because it’s tiring or overwhelming, it’s because it causes more emotional strain on him than any other part of his day. He figures the pain should be numb to him by now, but it still causes his heart to ache in such a way that he himself could not even begin to possibly describe with words. If he did have to use words, ones such as emptiness, regret, and helplessness would most likely be a few that would come to mind.

He was nine years old when this daily ritual began. He’s fifteen now and continues to do the same thing each and every day that he had done exactly six years prior. Without fail, he always made time in his day to make the trek to achieve what can only be considered a normal thing for him.

Lucas was only nine years old when he and his twin brother had to visit their mother’s grave for the first time. At such a young age, something like this wouldn’t even be viewed as a possibility for most children. They’d wake up to the smell of their mother’s cooking them their favourite breakfast, then later have their mother tuck them in so they could experience that same feeling another day. It didn’t occur to Lucas right away that his mother was no longer able to cook him breakfast or tuck him in at night. What was he going to do about the monsters under his bed?

Truthfully, the realization didn’t set in until the second day he had to visit Hinawa, his mother’s grave. He didn’t wake up to his mother’s cooking. He didn’t even wake up to the sound of his usually enthusiastic brother demanding that they play outside when he’d much rather just sleep. Instead, he was awoken by his nearly silent father, quickly discovering that Claus had already left their shared bed. He had to hurry to get himself ready so that he could walk with his dad to where his mom was buried. He knew the layout of Tazmily almost flawlessly, even at his age, but he just didn’t want to take the risk of walking alone regardless. He differed so much from his brother in that way. He never dared to take risks, but it seemed as though Claus was hasty enough for the both of them.

When he and his father arrive at the top of the hill, right near the sunflower field that almost always reminded Lucas of his mom, he was a little surprised to see that Claus had beat them there. Not that it was any sort of race, it just surprised him. But more so than anything, he was shocked to see his older twin with tears streaming down his face. Claus never cried. Lucas was always the presumed crybaby in the family. Claus was the one that stood up to people when Lucas was too upset and passive to do so himself. Why was Claus crying and not Lucas? That didn’t seem right. Maybe Lucas didn’t quite understand what his brother did. He wanted to find out, though.

He had wished that he had understood sooner. Maybe he could’ve done something to stop what had happened after such events. Maybe he could’ve been the hero Claus tried to be.

Lucas was thirteen when he went about his rituals for more than one reason alone. He rarely saw his father anymore. He sincerely doubted that the man even cared for his existence, not that he’d be surprised if he didn’t. It’s not about his father. It hadn’t been about his father for so long.

He felt as though he was as close as he could get to his past before it was tore away from him. At the age of thirteen, he encountered so much just to see what he had lost nearly four years prior. He could touch it, there was no ‘almost’ about the situation. What he had lost at the age of nine, he couldn’t get back. He should’ve known that. Though he did have an ulterior objective at hand, he still remained hopeful. Boy, wasn’t he delusional?

Lucas somehow deduced this to being entirely his fault to begin with. He shouldn’t have let Claus go. Or at the very least, he should’ve built up the courage to go with his brother, even if he were to refuse. People were not incorrect in the assumption that he was pathetic, if not completely helpless.

It’s his own fault as to why he has to perform his rituals alone. He couldn’t blame another being for that.

Lucas is fifteen now, and it still has not changed. He goes up to visit his mother’s grave, only now it is accompanied by another. He and his father never go up to visit at the same time. It was a personal thing and they both felt it appropriate to express how they feel in privacy.

When he would visit, Lucas would often bring flowers. Sunflowers, in fact. He relates them to his mother more than anything. He knew how much she had loved them. He never really had anything to offer his brother. Everything that was Claus’ was his also. Not that he minded, of course. He and Claus shared everything and were always taught selflessness. Although, he’s sometimes convinced that his own fears and lack of bravery was selfishness all on its own. Maybe, had he pushed away his fears when he was younger, Claus would still be alive now.

It’s not uncommon that Lucas would apologize to his passed brother. He often wonders that if Claus was alive now, would he forgive him. He would talk fondly of his brother’s strength and courage. This was never an easy task for him. A part of him thinks this is a form of self reassurance. How would Claus forgive him if he can’t even forgive himself?

Lucas’ daily rituals were not complete until he said “I love and miss you both”. It wasn’t extravagant by any means, but it meant something to him personally. It was true, he did love and miss the both of them dearly. In the back of his mind, he knows he’d give anything to have them back. But he also isn’t stupid, and knows well enough of how life works, yet it still doesn’t diminish the hope that he still managed to keep ahold of.

Lucas was nine years old when he obtained the hardest ritual he had to ever maintain. That isn’t going to stop him from doing as he knows best to do. Nobody expects him to go up the hill everyday to visit his mother and brother, he does so on his own accord. It’s a part of his daily routine that he can’t seem to let go of, not that he ever really wanted to.

**Everybody has rituals. Just some rituals have more meaning to them than others.**


End file.
